Lost in This Moment
by Andie01
Summary: Companion to Best Mistake I've Ever Made. Eric's POV
1. Chapter 1

**December 29 2014**

"We just made our debut on Raw," I smirk.

"Yeah, just taking it in," Ryan sighs.

"The excitement is just oozing out of you."

"Sorry man."

"Kristin?"

"Yeah."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Haven't you heard me talk about her enough?"

"Hell yeah," I smirk settling on the bench across from the man. "Doesn't mean I won't continue to listen though."

"Thanks man."

"So?"

"So let's not get into it at work. We'll go out, I'll get drunk and bitch and you'll stare at all the girl's asses and pretend like you'll listening."

"I will be listening. The asses will just be scenery," I chuckle. "I'm heading to catering for water, want anything?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Eric," someone squeals behind me as I exit the locker room. "I can't believe you're here."

"Is that a comment on my wrestling skills," I smile turning. "Melina," I sigh, my smile dropping slightly. "How have you been?"

"Are we back to being cold to each other?"

"Never knew we stopped."

"We're co-workers now."

"We were co-workers, however briefly, and it didn't work out when we were friendly before."

"We were more than friendly and you know it," she grins running a hand up my chest.

"I know we tried a couple times to make us work and you walked away from me to screw someone else both times," I sigh removing her hand from me. "Not that I minded."

"I might have stayed if you didn't insist on calling out other bitches' names while you're screwing me. She's not here by the way."

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb. Everyone who knows you knows why you are truly excited to be here. She took off after her match at the beginning of the night. Must be nice to work whenever the hell she feels like it."

"Jealousy never was a good color on you. I believe Fandango there," I nod behind her, "needs you to shake your ass."

"You'll see just how much of her greatness is just a cover. I hope I'm around when your image of her shatters."

"Whatever," I mumble.

I watch her twirl a blonde curl between two fingers. My eyes rarely leaving the woman since she entered the club.

"All the gorgeous women in this club and you're still hung up on that girl."

"Yep," I smirk. My obsession with the woman starting the first time I laid eyes on her from across the room in FCW.

"What is it about that girl?"

"Beauty. Attitude. Strength. Take your pick." I can only guess seeing as the only time I tried to talk to her she punched me. She immediately apologized mumbling something about thinking it was someone else before disappearing.

I watch her shoulders straighten as Melina throws her head back laughing. Nattie and Alicia Fox subtly sliding slightly closer to the woman between them smiling at her. Melina slides off in a huff. Nattie's gaze sweeps around the room behind her landing on us, a smirk sliding across her face as she nudges the woman beside her. The entire group of women turn towards us but my eyes stay on the blonde in the center. Her eyes sweep over the bottles on the table and the man beside me before landing on me as she mutters something to the girls around her that sends laughter through the group. The smirk that slides across her face as our eyes meet sends my heartrate into overdrive.

"The feeling seems to be mutual," Ryan chuckles.

"You need to slow down," I motion to the bottles in front of us. "You know I'll leave your ass here if you get drunk."

"I remember all the bars I've had to stumble out of because you just left."

"I always tell you to stop drinking because I'm not carrying your ass."

"Eric?"

I turn to find Melina. _"This again."_ "Yes?"

"I truly am glad to have you here. I hope we can be civil with one another," she states placing a beer bottle in front of me. "It's your favorite."

"Thank you. I'm sure we can be professional."

"That's always a good place to start," she smiles squeezing my arm as I wrap a hand around the bottle. "I'll see you around, Baby."

"I always hated when she called me that," I grumble turning my attention back across the bar.

"Why don't you take your ass over there and talk to her."

"No."

"Pussy," he snorts.

"She's out with her friends. I'm not interrupting that."

"That the excuse you're using tonight?"

"Thought we were here to talk about your life not mine."

"I find this much more therapeutic. Seems like someone beat you to your girl."

I glance back to find the other women scattering as Johnny, better known as Fandango, settles at the end of their table, his eyes on the waitress' ass beside him. When his eyes finally swinging back to the woman across from him, her shoulder rising in a shrug. The man's smile slowly slides from his face as they talk. Drucilla leans forward, resting her chin on her hand as she talks. The man's smile returns with the waitress who begins distributing shot glasses. He slides into the booth in behind the drinks and the woman immediately slides away.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yeah," I answer absent mindedly as I watch the woman throw back two shots.

"Liar," the man beside me sighs. "Two more darling."

Johnny slides around the booth to settle beside Drucilla who tenses but makes no indication to move again. Her eyes stay across the room as she throws more shots back, her hand always covering the glass closest to the man.

" _Smart girl."_

The man turns resting his hand on her knee.

I'm on my feet before I realize it.

"Eric?"

"What?"

"You look like you'll about to murder someone."

"Thinking about it," I growl as his hand slides up to her thigh. A flash of fear crosses her face before she smirks at the man.

"You can't be mad because someone had the balls to hit on your girl and you didn't."

"I'm about to separate him from his balls. He is fucking manhandling her."

"And she is smiling at him."

"She is smirking to cover her fear."

"How do you…"

I watch the woman's eyes narrow at the man.

"Eric sit your ass down and pick another girl to obsess over. Drusilla is currently taken."

"She doesn't look like she really wants to be taken," I growl as the woman storms away from the booth, Johnny close on her heels.

"Fine, but you really need to calm down."

"No," I snarl as the man grabs her.

"Eric," Ryan calls after me as I make my way through the crowded bar. "Eric, stop. Look she took care of him herself."

"I don't give a fuck. I'm still going to kick his…" I take off at a run as Johnny charges after the woman.

"Eric. Fuck," Ryan growls as Johnny tackles the blonde.

"Last warning," Drusilla states as I round the doorway.

"What are you gonna d…" Johnny starts before she drives an elbow into his jaw.

"That."

"I like a girl that can play rough," he smirks and she repeats her action.

"Walk away before I dislocate your jaw," she growls.

" _Here I am thinking she needed me to rescue her."_

"You could try," he smiles, reaching out to her. "The result is going to be the same. You underneath me."

"Keep dreaming," she snaps deflecting his hand.

"Oh, believe me that is what is on everyone's mind in the locker room. Getting you beneath them. There is even some veterans who are putting up some cold hard cash for whoever is the first one to taste you, Sweetness."

My stomach turns at the man's words.

"You're lying," she whispers, a sick look on her face.

"Please," he smirks. "Getting you in bed means two things. The first is they get the pleasure of making you a fully realized woman. The second is it gets them that much closer to whispering in Paul Levesque's ear. That is the real prize. You're just a fucking bonus. I mean that literally," he chuckles backing her into a corner.

My hands tighten into fists, my vision turning red.

"Fuck," she sighs as she realizes she's trapped.

"Eric?"

"Keep her safe. I'll take care of douchebag."

"Eric," someone is yelling above me. "Come on man. He's had enough. Eric, stop!"

Arms yank me back into a wall, a hand coming up to my chest to pin me there. "You back with me?"

I look up from the prone Johnny to meet Ryan's eyes.

"Eric?"

"I'm fine." _"I don't know where the hell I am or how the hell I got here but I'm fine."_

"All this because of Paul's little whore," Johnny gasps. "You just had to wait your turn dude."

"Shut up," Ryan snaps. "The only reason I'm pulling him off your ass is because I don't want him fired. Eric, get back upstairs."

"I'm…"

"Walk away," Ryan interrupts, "before you do something that affects the both of us. I told her to wait for you upstairs," he whispers.

"This isn't over."

"We'll see who gets to her first," the downed man wheezes.

"Stay away from her."

"Or what?"

"Or this little trip down the stairs won't be your last or your worst," Ryan growls shoving me up the stairs. "Let's go."

We trudge up the stairs in silence.

"I know you carry a thing for the girl and I'm not saying she didn't eventually need help but you were ready to kill him when they were still in the booth," Ryan states as we reach the top of the stairwell. "So why the hell do you care so much about one Diva?"

"Maybe we're secretly dating," I grumble.

"Yeah, like you could keep getting the girl of your dreams to yourself," he chuckles.

"You have a," Drucilla slumps out of a side door ahead, her head down for a split second before pulling herself upright, "a big mouth and it's none of your damn business."

"Then let's go check on your girl, Loverboy."

I watch as Layla pulls Drucilla's already form fitting dress even tighter as she tries to tie the torn material back together. Alicia studies the blonde in front of her.

"How exactly did you 'elude' Johnny," Layla asks.

"A couple elbows to the jaw," she smiles.

"Nice," the third woman smirks.

"I mainly just wanted to shut him up. And the Ascension may have come to my rescue too," Drucilla smiles. That smile calms my frayed nerves and I release a deep breath.

"The Ascension," the two women share a look over their friend's shoulder.

"Yep. Both came running."

"Really," the look returns.

"Really," I call causing all three to turn. Drucilla's eyes landing on me. "Despite popular opinion, we're not animals. Nor do we appreciate some of our co-workers thinking it was ok to manhandle a woman."

"Notice you didn't say helpless," the blonde smirks, her jade eyes locking on to me.

"I would never insult you by implying you were helpless," I reply a smile pulling on my lips. Her eyes drop downwards.

"You would be the first," she grins. "Your knuckles are bleeding,"

"So is your back," I counter.

"I don't make a living because of my back," she shrugs. "Your hands on the other hand…"

"It's not the first time I've busted them. Not gonna be the last."

"How many flights did you kick dumbass down?"

"Three. Busted his nose and his lip. From the way he was breathing I probably busted a rib or two."

"Or six," Ryan grins.

"He'll live. He deserved worse."

"I agree. I'll make sure Stephanie hears my side of the story and there isn't any consequences for you guys."

"Throwing your weight around?"

"I try to avoid it. I actually go out of my way to do so but I'm not about to allow the perv to run off playing the victim," her eyes harden. "Plus I'm not going to let you be punished for doing the right thing."

"Thank you for that," Ryan smiles.

"Let's just hope I won't have to do it again. Well, I should really go get out of this torn dress. I'm going to find a way to thank you guys for what you did for me."

"Not necessary."

"Still going to happen though."

"This out bravado flirting thing is fun to watch and all," Layla smirks, "but would you two like a moment alone?"

Drucilla finally tears her gaze from me to look at her friends.

"I agree," Ryan whispers. "I'm getting a drink.

"I'll call you in the morning," Alicia smiles. "Don't behave yourself."

"The phrase is behave yourselves, Tori," Drucilla chuckles.

"I know," she calls.

Her attention returns to me, the smile still in place but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you again. If there is anything I can do for you don't hesitate to ask. You really saved my ass tonight."

" _Just invite her to sit with you. Get to know her. Stop acting like a stalker and grow some balls."_ Instead I nod before turning to find Ryan, chancing one last glance over my shoulder at the woman. Her shoulders drop slightly as she makes her way to one of the bars.

"She okay," Ryan asks as join him at our table.

"She tries to act like she is but she's hurt."

"Why are you over here then? Shouldn't you be with your secret girlfriend," he smiles.

I search the crowd to find Drucilla slouched on a barstool as she stares at her hands folded in front of her, two glasses already in front of her. She waves off the bartender and he clears the glasses. "You're right. I should be with her. Later Ry."

I approach the blonde slowly as she sits wiping at her eyes. _"She looks so vulnerable. Like one wrong word will send her falling apart."_ "You okay?"

Her eyes jump up to me pulling her shell back around herself before allowing her gaze to fall back to her hands on the bar. "Yeah. Just trying to find the motivation to head back to my room."

"It looks like you feel like you have the weight of the world on you."

"Yes and no," she shrugs, grimacing slightly at the movement.

"Must be something big if it can defeat you more than being assaulted in a stairwell." Lowering myself on the stool beside her I study her face. Her make-up is smudged, with dark rings circling her eyes.

She shrugs again blinking the tears in her eyes away. "Just thinking about what was said to me more than what was done to me."

"That was…"

"It was something I needed to hear," she interrupts glancing up again. "Doesn't mean I have to like it. I just can't stop hearing it on a loop."

"Can I at least buy you a drink while you contemplate your motivations?"

"As long as there's not a bet involved," she chuckles sadly.

"Yeah," I wince. _"Of course she would take an innocent gesture the wrong way after what just happened to her. It is only natural."_ The anger I felt in the stairwell awaking again. "I heard dumbass talking about that. Pretty fucked up even for the people in this company. I would just like to remind you that we just arrived. Any locker room talk doesn't involve Ryan or me."

"Well that doesn't get me any closer to getting the names of those who are involved. I had a nice, swift kick in the balls planned for them," a slight grin quirking her lips and the anger ebbs away again.

"I'll just have to get those names for you then. But only if I can watch."

"Deal," she smirks, finally turning to meet my eyes. I feel my breath hitch as those beautiful jade orbs pin me in place.

"Drink?"

"I don't know," she sighs. "According to Ryan and…a friend and you, my back is horrible. Something I could feel for myself a drink ago. My dress is held on by double sided tape and hope. Plus, I'm sure I look like a raccoon from fucking crying over some bullshit."

"A very adorable raccoon," I smile and a blush overcomes her face. Leaning back I study her back, the scraped areas across the smooth skin there is oozing slightly but nothing looks like it would require medical attention. "Your back does look bad but I'm sure it's just superficial damage. You keep using your torn dress as a reason you need to leave but you keep hanging around. I don't think you really want to leave but you feel you need to put up a front."

"If I get myself alone for too long, I think I may fall completely apart. I don't really feel like doing that right now."

"So stay. Hang out with us."

"You guys don't hang out with the rest of the company."

"We would make an exception for you."

"Why? Because my uncle is Paul Levesque and you two need an in?"

"Not at all," locking eyes with her I try to project all my sincerity in those words. "If we wanted to whisper in your uncle's ear, we would just whisper directly into Paul's ear. We've done it before and we don't use others to do our dirty work for us."

"Is that right?"

"Absolutely," my eyes never leaving those jade ones staring back at me.

She studies me and I hold my breath. Slowly she relaxes, "Alright then. Let me go wash my face. Can't represent the company looking like a raccoon. No matter how adorable you find it."

"Asshole is loitering against the wall over there," I nod over her shoulder at Johnny leaning against the wall across the room. "He's been watching you since the girls left."

"Is that why you came over here? To save me again."

"No, I genuinely wanted to check on you. You looked like someone kicked your puppy. You want me to walk with you?"

"I want to say no but after earlier… I don't feel like repeating that right now," she grumbles, standing. "Besides I blame you that he's over there."

"Me," I gape.

"Yeah, you didn't bust him up enough," she smiles.

"I could always correct that," I return grin, standing myself.

"Tempting but let's wait until he makes the first move," she smiles softly as she cranes her neck to look up at me. "Removes the whole 'he's a victim' angle. Now are you walking me or not?"

XXX

"Everything okay," Ryan asks as we join him at a bar.

"Great," Drucilla smiles up at the big man. "Had another little scuffle with Johnny but this one kept me safe."

"I'm more concerned that he did something stupid."

"He wanted to but I'm a good whoa-man, as in 'whoa man no'," she smiles sweetly.

"Where were you at all his life," Ryan chuckles.

"Hiding."

"What are you dinking, Spunky?"

"Whiskey."

"I like your style. Brand?"

"I'm flexible."

"Now I know why he is obsessed with you."

"Top shelf, big man. High proof."

"You sure?"

"Honey, I could out drink your big ass. Just get me the liquor."

"You want to prove it?"

"Already won one bet. I think I can handle another."

He turns to wave down a bartender working the bar.

"Don't get him drunk," I state. "I don't want to worry about him passed out here all night."

"Then don't. Do you know how many Divas I've had to carry home?"

"Are any of the Divas three hundred pounds?"

"Do you wear heels while doing it," she smirks popping her feet into my lap, the slits in her skirt exposing her legs to her hips. My eyes slide up those tanned legs causing her to immediately change position.

" _I'm leering at the woman not even a full hour after she's been attacked. Good plan, Dumbass."_ "I'm…"

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Look at me like I'm the only girl in the room."

" _Because you're the only girl in the universe to me,"_ I think studying her face. "Because to me, at this very moment, you _**are**_ the only girl in the world."

Her head dips to hide behind her hair. "Just this very moment?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I've already told you that you're gorgeous but you're also a mystery to me. I'm just trying to figure you out."

"And when you do?"

"I have a feeling this curiosity and lust for you will turn into love."

"Doubtful. You would just find out how…"

"Hey, you two are looking why too serious. We've had enough of that tonight. Now, we have fun."

"Yes sir," Drucilla smiles raising her head. "Did you get me the good stuff?"

"The best this place has," he smiles placing six high ball glasses between them.

"You are not drinking any of that," I point at the big man.

"When did you become my father. I drink too much you'll just run off with your girl and leave me to be the bar's problem. You've done it before and you've already threaten to do it tonight."

"No he won't," Drucilla smiles, shoving two glasses towards the other man.

"And why is that," Ryan returns the smile.

"Because if he tries I will just stay here with you," she grins turning back towards me. "Alone. With only a drunk to watch my back."

"You wouldn't."

"I'll curl up in his lap if I have to."

"Really?"

"You don't leave your friends behind."

"He does."

"That should change."

"I like her," Ryan smile sipping his drink.

"He doesn't know me very well," she smiles draining one of the glasses in front of her.

"Then what's my excuse," I lean in to whisper in her ear.

"Same," she winks.

"Well, let's change that to test your theory," I grin taking the new glass from her hand and throwing it back. "God, I hate whiskey."

"I guess that means I have the advantage then."

"I'll choke it down to win."

"What exactly are you winning?"

"An evening with you."

Her face flushes as a smile settles on her lips. "I'll drink to that."

"You keep up pretty well for a good girl," I chuckle as Drucilla drains yet another glass of whiskey looking no worse for wear while Ryan struggles to keep his head upright. A bartender removes the empty glasses and replacing them with fresh ones.

"Who said I'm a completely good girl," she smirks sliding a glass towards me. "We all have our vices. I just hide mine well. Plus, this place waters down its liquor."

"And why are you hiding," I ask leaning in, my arm going around her shoulders.

"I have to. Can't be the face of the company and flawed. Paul looks down that ginormous schnoz of his otherwise."

Ryan chokes on the other side of the woman.

"Oh, he's a giggly drunk," she chuckles watching the big man recover. "I like those. They're fun. What kind are you?"

"Calm and quiet," I feel a smile pulling at my lips before leaning in closer to whisper into her ear, "and horny."

"Mmmmm…interesting," she grins.

"What about you?"

"Laid back. You're the only thing making me horny," she smiles leaning forward to capture my lips. My arm tightens around the woman instinctively; she fists the front of my t-shirt pulling me closer and I pull her to me to straddle my lap.

"Oh, good God," she murmurs against me, her thighs tightening around my thighs. My mind flashing images of those thighs tightening around my waist as I slam into the woman.

"Want to get out of here," I ask running my mouth down her throat savoring the taste of her skin.

"I can't," she groans pulling back slightly. "You are hell on my self-control but I can't."

"Why is that?"

"Long conversation."

"I got all night." My hand slides across the bare skin of her back causing her to arch into me slightly.

"Excuse me guys," a soft voice states beside us.

We both turn towards the voice, Drucilla sliding from my lap and back onto her stool. _"She just keeps popping up tonight."_

"An apology for earlier," Melina smiles reaching between us to place a drink on the bar beside the blonde. "I was completely out of line."

"It's fine," Drucilla smiles although I can see the falseness in it.

"The apology still stands."

"Accepted," she smiles taking a large gulp of the drink.

Melina sends another smile towards the other woman, her eyes sliding down me as the grin turns predatory before disappearing into the crowd again.

"Holy hell that is the sweetest thing I have ever put in my mouth," Drucilla giggles.

"Really," I smirk. "Let me see," pulling her to me I probe her mouth. The whiskey taste is muted only slightly by the sweet drink. "Tastes perfect to me."

"Then you drink it," she smirks.

"There's no way I'm drinking that fruity shit."

"Thought it tasted perfect?"

"Maybe it was just you," I grin as she makes a face at the drink.

"Nobody is perfect."

"From where I'm sitting you are pretty damn close."

"Beer goggles or I guess it would be whiskey goggles."

"That boy has thought you were the best thing on earth the second you kicked his ass in FCW," Ryan slurs behind her.

"Glad someone does."

"Don't you have a long conversation to get to?"

"I don't have to have it."

"True. But I would like to know why you can't," I smirk pulling her back onto my lap.

Leaning into me, she nuzzles against my throat, her breath sending a slight shiver down my back. "Because I will disappoint you."

"Doubtful."

"They all say that," she chuckles sadly leaning back. "Then they find out…"

"Find out what?"

"Maybe she's a man," Ryan slurs.

"Unlike some of the women here this is all real," she states arching back to look at the other man grabbing her chest. I concentrate on not burying my face into that chest as my jeans tighten.

"Find out what," I ask again pulling her back to face me.

"If I tell you, whatever this is will stop and I don't want that."

"You don't know that until you do it."

"Past experiences," she drops her head.

Tilting her head back I meet her eyes squarely. "I'm not everyone else. Try me."

"Can't we just enjoy the rest of the night?"

"How about this: I don't like what you have to say, I'll walk you to your room, tell you good night, and then tomorrow morning we can meet up at the café across the street to discuss it over breakfast. If I do, I'll finish that fruity sugary drink, buy you a real drink, and we finish our evening. And breakfast is on you."

She swallows hard, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. "I don't have sex," she whispers. "I mean I've never gone…I've never had…I'm a virgin."

I try to hide any external signs of shock as she struggles to look me in the eye. _"She's ashamed. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Unusual? Yes, but not shameful."_ "Wasn't expecting that. Is that a personal choice? Religious? Just not interested?"

"I'm very interested," she chuckles and I quietly wait for the answer. "Personal choice."

I nod formulating a tactful way to begin the next line of questioning.

"I guess this is good night then," she sighs pulling away.

I tighten my arms around her holding her to me. "Do you want it to be good night," I ask.

"I've already said I don't want whatever this is to end."

Getting the bartender's attention, I order two more drinks before pulling the fruity drink to me. Throwing the drink back I try not to gag on the sugar. "Good."

"You're still willing to sit here like this knowing that I don't know how to take care of you?"

"Take care of me? I'm not a child. I can take care of myself."

"You know what I mean. I've had to guard myself for so long that I can't satisfy you."

"I don't need sex to be satisfied with you. Nor would I push you for sex."

"Why?"

"That's not the kind of man I am. I wouldn't disrespect you by trying and I also think that it's a better experience when both parties go in without hesitation."

"Oh, I would not hesitate with you," she smiles before her eyes widen. "Okay, I need to slow down. My internal voice has become my external voice."

"I like that voice," I grin. "I think you're winning by the way."

She glances at the other man briefly. "I think it's because Tori keeps feeding me water," she states. "What do I win by the way?"

"What do you want?"

"I kinda want to kiss you again."

"What's stopping you?"

"Nothing," she sighs pressing her lips to mine. I pull her against my body again groaning as she molds against me.

" _She is better than my mind could ever imagine her to be. Her lips are so soft. She fits so perfectly against me."_ A sigh escapes as she pulls away to open a bottle of water that appears in her hand.

"What," she whispers, her head ducking.

"I could kiss you all night." _"Now whose internal voice is external?"_

Her head lifts. "Really?"

"If you will let me."

"And if I don't," she smiles.

I shrug reaching for my own drink. "I'd finish this. Escort you back to your room so no more harm comes to you and then request a good night kiss. I will say that if you deny me that kiss I will leave a sad and broken man."

"I can't have my savior a broken man," she smiles leaning in.

"Get a room," Ryan slurs.

"Have one," I state. "Too bad I also have a roommate."

"He's not leaving you alone in the bar tonight," Drucilla comments over her shoulder. "Deal with it."

"It really is simpler to let the bar deal with him."

"You are a shitty friend," she states downing my glass before turning for hers.

"I concur," Ryan slurs patting the woman's back.

I study the woman in front of me trying to decide if the look of fear that crossed her face really happened or was just a figment of my imagination. My head suddenly feeling light, the woman on my lap blurring slightly. _"What the fuck was in that drink?"_ "Something wro…" My arms tighten around her waist as the woman wobbles.

"I'm fine," she mutters wrapping her arms around my neck. Shaking her head, she leans forward, "I just had a dizzy spell."

"You're drunk," I smile against her lips.

"It's not the liquor," she grins before latching to the side of my throat.

"Hey, one of us has to wrestle topless," I tease nipping at her earlobe. "No hickeys."

"You're no fun," she smiles slowly returning to my lips.

"I'm tons of fun," I argue between kisses.

"Can I find out?"

"I would really like that if you do," I whisper.

Nodding she molds against me again, her hips rocking just enough to create friction between us. A thud behind her has us breaking apart. Glancing at my friend, I find Ryan face down on the bar.

"After you take your friend back to your room," she states firmly.

"He's…" I start, trying to catch the woman as slides from my lap. Watching as she slides next to the big man wrapping an arm around his. Her head nestles against the back of his shoulder as she stares at me. "Fine," I finish.

"Are you taking him back to your room or am I going to have to stay with him here all night," she questions, tightening her grip on Ryan.

The irrational jealousy from earlier returns. "Really, he does this all the time."

"Fine. Be a shitty friend. I will stay here with my new friend," she grumbles.

"Dru…" Forcing my wobbly legs to support me, I slide from the barstool.

"Yes," she smirks.

"Stop calling me a shitty friend," I sigh approaching the two. "Big Man, time to go."

"What," Ryan slurs lifting his head.

"Time to head back to the room."

"What happened to…" his head swings to stare at the woman at his shoulder. "Hello. This is a change in events."

"Had to do something to keep him from leaving you behind. Can you stand?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Maybe because you're having trouble sitting," I smile. "Get up."


	2. Chapter 2

**December 30 2014**

The bed shifts beside me as someone mumbles.

" _Ryan just leave me be,"_ I think against the pounding in my head.

"Especially if you already have a head start."

"Wha…?"

"What the hell," a distinctly female voice gasps.

" _Who the hell did I end up with last night? I don't remember anything past Drucilla at the bar. Oh God, Dru,"_ I crack my eyes searching my fuzzy memory. _"I don't even remember if she got back to her room."_

"Eric?"

" _She's here?"_ "Dru," I smile at the girl peaking over the edge of the bed. _"God she's even beautiful first thing in the morning."_ "What are you doing here?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing. What happened last night?"

"You don't remember," I ask searching my own memory for the night.

"I remember you saving me from a very drunk Johnny and challenging you and Ryan to a drinking contest. Which judging by the pounding in my head, I lost miserably. But I have no idea how I ended up here," she states standing. My shirt from the night before falling to her knees. "Or why I am not wearing pants. Whose shirt is this? It looks familiar."

" _Oh God, Eric,"_ Dru's voice floats through my mind as an image of her arching beneath me, my body reacts immediately. "It's mine," I murmur stretching. "I don't know how you ended up wearing it. Although, seeing as I'm also without pants over here I can take a good guess." Something about the situation sets my stomach into knots though I smirk over at the woman just in time to see her face pale.

"No, no, no, no."

"What?"

"NO! I didn't… I couldn't have," she groans, plopping down on the bed, head in her hands.

"You do know I'm right here." The knots in my stomach tighten.

"Sorry to bruise your ego," she pouts, "but I'm furious with myself right now. I mean I prided myself for being one of the few divas who doesn't go out, get plastered, and bed hop."

"One bed does not make you a bed hopper," I smile hopefully comforting. "I'm not going to say anything if that's what you're worried about."

"You don't fucking understand," she groans, her head coming up, her eyes landing on the bedside table clock. "Fuck! Paul! It's already seven. I'm surprised he's not pounding on the door. Or he could be," she groans, looking around the room and I do the same. We seem to be on the top floor of the hotel based on the view through the window. There is a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and two untouched glasses on the table. Sitting up I find a broken lamp laying in the floor. _"At least we had fun. I just wish I could remember what happened. And why it is giving such a sinking feeling in my stomach._ "What floor are you on," she asks searching the floor.

"Fifth, but this isn't my room. I'm… The plan was to room with Ryan last night. That obviously didn't happen," I state noticing a second broken lamp near the window as I grab my jeans from the floor.

"Well this isn't my room and we couldn't have ended up in some random room," she breathes moving across the room towards the door and I recognize her dress from the night before there. Suddenly the room is filled with the song "Sexy Boy" and she lunges forward for her purse.

"So we just got a third hotel to have a very fun and wild night judging by the two broken lamps," I comment pulling my jeans up my legs as she digs through the purse.

"Please, shut up," she groans leaning over to pick up her dress, my shirt sliding tantalizingly up the back of her legs. "And I have no clue."

I force my eyes back to her face noting the shame written across it. The knots tighten even more. "If I didn't know better, I would think you are ashamed about what happened last night," I comment.

"In all honesty, I am," she sighs scanning the room as the music starts again.

"Hey," I growl softly, grabbing her arm gently as she tries to push past me and turn her to face me. Her emotions seem to war beneath the surface as she looks me in the eye. "What is there to be ashamed about? We're both single. We're both consenting adults. So what is it?"

"I told you, you wouldn't understand."

"And I'm asking you to explain."

"I'm…I mean I was… It's nothing against you Eric. It's just that," she stammers and I wait for her to gather her thoughts to explain. "Sexy Boy" blasts through the room again causing the woman to jump. "I should really find my phone," she whispers and I can hear the slight quiver of fear. "If Shawn is the one calling me then Paul is furious right now. I'll explain…later. I promise. Just please help me find my phone. He's just going to keep calling until I answer. It's gotta be around here somewhere."

"Found it," I sigh tossing the ringing phone to the woman.

"Shawn," she smiles with a slight grimace. "Tell Paulie I'll be there in twenty minutes tops."

" _I'm forgetting something. What is it? What did I do to her that would cause her to feel ashamed this morning,"_ I think smoothing my hair back. _"Did I come on too aggressively? Am I the reason she is afraid? She's afraid to tell me to back off? No, she had no fear telling Johnny to back off last night. Even if that meant physicality. No one can come on as aggressively as that man last night."_ A flash of silver catches my eye and I pull my hand from my head. I stare at the strange black and silver ring on my fourth finger.

A clatter from Dru's direction brings my attention back to the woman. I find her staring back at me her own left hand trembling in mid-air her fourth finger glittering in black and silver as well.

" _We didn't."_ "What did we do, Dru," I whisper. "Dru," I ask louder.

The trembling intensifies until her entire body is shaking.

"Dru? Dru," I shout rushing forward. Her eyes seem to focus on me. "Dru, what's wrong?"

"I don't remember anything. Just feelings. Nothing to tell me what happened. I think I got a tattoo. Well, another tattoo."

"You need to talk to Shawn," I state pulling the phone from the floor and placing it in her hand. It slides to the floor again.

Sighing I pick up the phone once again bringing it to my ear, "Shawn, we'll be there shortly." Turning to the shaking woman, "Dru, focus. We need to figure a way to fix that dress because you can't see your uncle with no pants."

"It can't be fixed," she mumbles her hands wrapping around my biceps. "It's too torn."

"Okay. You're keeping my shirt."

"No," she states and I notice she is pulling her shell around herself again. The trembling slows both in her body and voice. "I can't."

"I don't see any luggage up here so you're going to walk through the hotel naked? I mean I won't complain but that doesn't seem to be your style. You've always been more conservative in your wardrobe."

She stares back at me mutely.

"Let's get to your uncle then."

"You don't have to be there."

"Yes I do. I have a feeling that I am part of the problem so I will help you by being part of the solution also."

"Don't…"

"You're not going to change my mind."

"Fine," she sighs gathering her shoes and heading for the door.

"Wait."

"I just want to get this over with before I lose my nerve," she sighs.

"So you're not just trying to run away from me," I challenge wrapping a hand around her wrist. She tenses slightly before turning to face me.

"I'm trying to flee from an awkward situation and gather my thoughts. I'm not running from you personally. Now if you're coming with me, come on."

"Coming," I smile following her out. "Where exactly are you going?"

"You think I'm getting on an elevator in just a t-shirt? Yeah. I'm going to let half the roster see me in just your shirt," she smirks disappearing through a stairway doorway.

"I assumed you would try to avoid stairs after last night."

"Will you not keep me safe," she smiles over her shoulder.

"If you'll let me."

"I have an option? I don't recall…" she starts coming to a sudden stop.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, this is my floor," she shakes herself pulling open the door. "I don't recall you asking me last night."

"Is that a complaint?"

"Nope," she sighs digging through her purse. She stops at the sound of screaming down the hall.

"You sure you're okay," I ask wrapping a hand around her shoulder causing her muscles to go rigid.

"I'm fine," she shrugs off my hand moving down the hall.

"Are you afraid of me this morning?"

"Why would I be afraid of you?"

"You tell me. You seem different this morning."

"I wish I felt different," she mumbles sliding her keycard into a lock jerking around to stare at the door across the hall as more shouting erupts.

"Dru?"

Her eyes skip over to me.

"You're shaking."

"It's not you," she states sliding the key into the lock and disappearing into her room.

I lean against the wall beside the door to wait and she reappears seconds later still in my shirt with a pair of jeans covering her legs.

"Last chance to leave. This is not going to be pretty."

"Look me in the eyes and answer one question."

"What," she sighs rising her eyes to mine.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Regardless of what people think there are a few luxuries I do not have," she smiles briefly. "Fear is one of them," she states charging across the hallway, pushing the cracked door open.

"You're losing your arm in your old age, Paul," she states dully dodging something flying past us. Her entire attention on our fuming boss in the middle of the room.

"Is right now really the time to make jokes, Dru," Kip asks as he cowers in a far corner.

"At least I face him head on instead of hiding in the corner like a little girl," she smirks as I settle against the wall a close distance behind her. I scan the room. Shawn stands guard between the larger man and his niece as if he's expecting a fight between the two. Brian is reclined on the couch, an arm thrown across his eyes. He is the only one that doesn't seem concerned about the standoff between the two Levesques.

"He's like this right now because of you."

"He's all bark outside of the ring," she sighs taking a microscopic step forward, "Thank you for waking me, Shawn. I overslept a bit but I'm here."

"I want some answers, Drucilla Michelle Levesque," Paul snarls glaring down at his niece as she stares back silently.

"Well," he barks and I cringe away from the throbbing it sends through my head. "Answer me now, little girl."

"I am not a little girl," her voice shakes, her fingers playing along the hem of my shirt. "I am thirty years old."

"Well, Ms. Levesque…or should I say Mrs. Thompson," he snarls flinging a large manila envelope at the woman. My attention is suddenly on my boss as she clutches the envelope to her chest continuing to stare at her uncle.

" _He is not implying what I think he is."_

Her silence only seems to stoke the older man's anger.

" _We didn't. This has got to be a fucking joke."_

"Open it," Paul orders sitting on the bed. "Now."

Shawn visibly relaxes turning to look at us, his eyes drifting over the woman's head to meet mine.

" _The rings. The strange hotel room. Waking up naked."_ The pieces slowly start to fit together in my mind.

"I said open it," Paul snaps making a point to keep his attention on his niece.

Her fingers shakily slide along the seal and the flap opens easily. Two black folders appear from inside. She glances inside the first one before passing it over her shoulder without a word. Opening it I find a photo showing the two of us embracing. I'm bent over cupping the woman's face gently as her arms band around my waist. Our lips pressed together passionately. A small gasp pulls my attention from the photo. Glancing over her shoulder I stare at the gold calligraphy across the top proclaims "Certificate of Marriage".

" _Fuck. I go from one extreme to the other with this girl."_

"Where did you get this, Paul," she asks. The sudden change in subject is jarring. I open my mouth to question her.

"The dancing girl dropped it off. Rosa, what's her real name?"

" _Melina? Why would she…how did she even know?"_

"Melina," Brian supplies. "If you're going to run the company. You should at least learn your employees' names. There are more of them than John Cena and Randy Orton."

"No one else clued you in," Dru asks, her voice holding a smile.

"No," Paul answers warily. "Why?"

"I'll discuss this with you later," she whispers turning to face me. Her face is unreadable.

"You'll discuss this with me now."

"I said later," she spits out through clenched teeth turning back to her uncle. "You are too aggravated and I am too tired to have a civil conversation. Later."

"You are going to talk to me right now," he snaps closing the gap between them. The sound of a small hiss of pain as his hand wraps around Dru's bicep brings my own anger to the surface. Shawn shakes his head at me. An eerily calm suddenly overcomes Paul and Dru reaches back to me with a shaky hand, her fingers twisting into my belt loops.

"You pinched me," she states tightly, backing up.

"You never were a very good liar," Paul states pulling the woman to him before yanking up the sleeve of the shirt to her shoulder. His eyes drift down to the hand shaped bruise before snapping up to me, fury clear in his eyes. "I assume this is your handy work."

"Paul, no," Dru snaps.

"You think you can put your hands on my niece, boy," Paul growls.

"I've never laid a hand on Dru in anger," I state calmly, pushing off the wall slowly, disentangling from the woman.

"I'm supposed to believe that, coming from a man who didn't have the decency to come to me about marrying her."

"I'm not your fucking daughter, Paul," she growls, keeping herself between her uncle and me. "I don't need your fucking permission or blessing."

"Do you think it would have stopped her if I had and you said no," I sneer, pulling Dru closer with a hand on her hip. "She does what she wants when she wants it. It doesn't matter what you think about it. Is that what is really bothering you about this? You can't control Dru?"

The punch connects before I even see it coming.

"Eric, don't do it," Dru murmurs, hand on my chest, her eyes begging me to cooperate. "Just let it go. Please. For me. You," she growls turning on her uncle, her hand balling into a fist despite her request of me. "He's right. If he had come to you, you would have just said no and it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I let you live your life and support you no matter what mistakes I think you're making. I don't get the same from you. Go on and head out to the next show, Paul. I'll find my own way. Always do. Thank you for a lovely birthday weekend."

"Dru," Paul starts as she pushes me towards the door.

"Paul, let her go," Shawn states calmly. "Everyone needs to calm down before this conversation can continue. Process the situation and come back to this with a clearer head."

Dru ushers me into her room across the hall. "You into the bathroom," she orders.

"Ah'm fine," I mutter around the blood streaming from my nose.

"Right now I really don't suggest arguing with me," she smirks shoving me into the small room. "Now sit."

"Ah'll stand."

"Sit!"

I lower myself slowly to the tub.

"Thank you," she sighs shaking herself before leaning in to examine me. Her fingers splay across my cheeks as her thumbs probe along my nose gently, a look of determination on her face. "For everything you did in there for me."

"I just told the truth. Even you admitted that."

"You didn't know it was the truth."

"Please. Anyone who spent five minutes with you could tell the best way to piss you off is to try to control you. I'm guessing it is because Paul spends a vast majority of his free time trying to do just that."

"You're not completely wrong," she smiles slightly. "He has a tendency of forgetting I'm not the fifteen-year-old that he became guardian of. I don't think it's broken," she sighs removing her hands. "It's slightly bloodied but I think you'll live."

"I could have told you that," I mumble, feeling slightly lost without her touch. "What are we going to do about this situation?"

"Your nose or our marriage," she asks, running a clean cloth under the sink faucet.

"Dru, this is serious."

"You think I don't know that? I have no idea what I did last night," she states, the self-imposed shell of hers falling away again.

" _I think I like this real version of her better than the strong silent one she tries to pull off all the time."_

"This is not something I deal with on a daily basis. I need a minute to absorb all the details. My instinct is to search out annulment processes. I mean this can't even be legal, can it," she rants grabbing my chin with one hand as she cleans the blood from me with the other. "We were not in our correct state of mind when we did this. That means it's not legal, right? I don't even know where to start. It's Vegas; there should be an annulment pamphlet in every hotel room." Taking a deep breath, she seems to calm herself before continuing. "So that being said, what are your thoughts on what we're going to do about our situation?"

"I believe annulment is our best option," I answer. "What are you going to tell Paul?"

"I'll think of something. It will probably be in a ring somewhere, it seems to be our tradition," she sighs dropping her gaze from me momentarily. "Wear the other out and then drop a bomb. Whatever it is, it won't be the whole truth. If he knew the whole truth, you know how the marriage was a drunken Vegas whatever; I would have it a lot worse."

"What does that mean," I ask wrapping a hand around her wrist. The image of Shawn standing guard between the two flashing through my mind. _"He wouldn't hurt his own niece just for making a mistake would he? Surely not after the way he acted seeing her bruise. Or did he think he was the only one that could do that to her?"_

"It means if you think he tries to control me now. Let him know I made a mistake. He'll be unbearable."

"Is that why you were ashamed this morning? You thought Paul would view it as a mistake on your part."

"Not really," she states, her hand tightening painfully around my chin, her eyes avoiding mine.

"Then what," I ask softly pulling her hand from me.

Pulling her wrist free she kneels in front of me her attention on my knuckles now.

"Dru?"

"Rick Victor is an asshole," she states not looking up.

"Ok. I'm not going to disagree but I don't see how that applies to our conversation."

"From my experience you, Eric, are not."

"Thank you," I state hesitantly when she glances up at me.

"Honor Helmsley and Dru Levesque aren't quite as complete opposite."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning just what I said. Stephanie wrote a lot of my…" she pauses as she seems to search for the words, "quirks into my character."

" _Quirks? What the hell is she talking about?"_

"I didn't think my first would be a drunken fling in Vegas," she sighs. "That's what I'm really ashamed of."

" _Something about the statement makes my skin crawl."_ "Your first? Marriage?"

She moves across the room wordlessly, her head down. The sick feeling returns as she shuffles through the things on the vanity. She turns with a small tube in her hands.

"Dru?"

She shakes her head wordlessly, falling to her knees in front of me.

" _She couldn't possibly mean…No way."_ I search my mind for a fragment of last night. An image of her on in my lap as she leans backwards to talk to Ryan. Her hands grabbing her chest as she smiles at the man. I pull her back to me. _"I don't have sex,"_ she whispered. _"I'm a virgin."_ The sick feeling intensifies. _"What did I do?"_

I pull my hands from hers, wrapping them around her forearms. "You're not talking about marriage, are you?"

Her eyes slowly raise to mine. "No."

"So before last night you truly were…" I can't even finish the sentence.

"Yep."

"How…" _"I'm all for a little roll in the hay but taking that."_

"A whole lot of self-control," she states, pulling my hands from her arms her eyes dropping again. "Apparently all it took to break that control was some whiskey and a hot guy in front of me," she growls, applying the cream across my knuckles.

"Stop worrying about my fucking hands for a minute," I growl.

"I need to concentrate on something else right now," she grumbles, blinking rapidly. "I can't… Not that I haven't had fant…I'm losing my control over my emotions right now. Just let me concentrate on something else."

A knock sounds through the room.

 _Now what?"_

"Now what," she echoes.

XXX

 _"I never meant to lie to my bosses. The words just came out of my mouth. The need to save the woman from her uncle's condemning gaze overwhelmed my common sense."_

"We're not here to judge," Stephanie states, shooting a withering look towards her husband.

"You're not here to judge," Dru interrupts. "Your husband is a different story."

I glance over at the woman beside me on the couch to find her hands shaking slightly. _"It's not me. It's not her emotions. She was alone with me, her emotions running high, and not a single shake was seen. It's her uncle. She is terrified of Paul."_

I reach out without thinking wrapping a hand around hers, trying to wordlessly comfort her. The shaking stops immediately.

"We're here to make an offer," Stephanie continues.

"What offer," I ask as Dru's other hand covers mine.

Stephanie looks to the woman beside me.

"What's the offer, Steph?"

"We want to push you."

" _ **You**_ want to push her," Paul mutters.

"Paul thinks no one wants to see his whore niece in the ring," Dru growls, her hand tightening beneath and above mine. "He thinks they would rather see John Cena's whore instead."

"Dru," Steph murmurs bringing the attention back to herself. "Stop it. Your dedication to the company has been noted. Eric, Paul has always thought highly of you and Ryan."

"I did think highly…"

"Paul, stop," Stephanie states calmly.

"You both have worked hard. You deserve what we are giving you, we've just moved up our timeline. Dru will get a Diva's title reign until her contract is up. Eric and Ryan will have multiple tag title reigns as they trade wins going into WrestleMania."

"I don't feel comfortable receiving a title shot as a gift. I would rather earn my titles."

"You have, Eric," Dru states.

"I have to agree with Dru about this," Steph smiles. "You were part of the most popular and dominate tag teams in NXT. You were eventually going to have those titles around your waist."

I open my mouth to argue and Dru's hand tightens around mine.

"It's been a long night for us," Dru murmurs. "Let us get cleaned up. Get some food, maybe. Let us have a conversation without being sneered at," she looks pointedly at her uncle. "Can we finish this conversation later?"

"Of course. Congratulations you two," Steph smiles rising. "Paul?"

The older man pauses in his pacing turning towards his niece to stare. They seem to have a silent conversation as she stares back unblinkingly. Her hand tightens around mine.

"Is there something else, Paul," I ask sliding closer to the woman beside me.

His eyes flicker to me before returning to his niece. "No."

"Then I'll walk you out," Dru sighs.

XXX

 _"She can't be serious. Now she wants to stay married. For a title?"_ My phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out I find an e-mail notification. Opening the e-mail, I find it is a suspicious transaction alert from my credit card company. _"Black diamond, two carat, eighteen carat white gold engagement band. Titanium, black coating, quarter carat diamond inlaid wedding band Purchased at two fifty-eight am December thirtieth for twenty-seven hundred and seventy-six US dollars. If this charge was made in error…"_ I read. _"Oh, I made the charge alright. The reason behind the charge is the error."_

The bathroom door opens and Dru appears wrapped in a towel, her head down. Images of her desperate face earlier flashes through my mind. _"I just want to wrestle again,"_ she had whispered. My eyes travel down her body. _"It could be worse. I may have been going about this backwards but this will give me a chance to get to know her."_

"Well it's official. Just got a suspicious transaction alert from last night on my credit card. That rock, which is a black diamond by the way, on your hand cost me a pretty penny," I call causing her to jump slightly. "We need to figure out how we are going to do this."

"You startled me. I assumed you had left," she breathes pulling the towel higher. My eyes drift down to her toned tanned thighs the action reveals. "How are we going to do what?"

"Our marriage," I state pulling my eyes back up to her face and away from studying the tattoo on the side her right calf. "How are we going to pull this marriage off," I ask, leaning forward. I strain not to allow my eyes to roam down her body.

"So you want to continue with this," she asks hope clear in her voice. "At least for a while?"

"I still think the best course of action is to tell the truth or as close to the truth as you're willing to tell. I feel I am taking advantage of the McMahons' generosity," I explain and her head drops again. "I also think you've deserved this opportunity well before today," I continue. "They've put the title around the waist of models who were barely able to wrestle their way out of a wet paper sack over actual female wrestlers for too long. I think it is time that it actually sits on the waist of a true wrestler like yourself. If this is the route you need to take to accomplish that… I don't think I could stand in the way of that. You deserve to have the title."

She launches herself onto me, her arms snaking around my neck. "Thank you Eric. There is no way I can truly thank you for this."

I wrap her in my arms tentatively pulling her flush to me, the smell of vanilla surrounds me. As she presses herself even tighter against me I am suddenly aware of the fact the only thing covering her is a thin cotton towel, a conclusion she seems to come to also as she disentangles herself from me and takes a step back. "Sorry," she mumbles. "Ummmm…. I think I need to get dressed. Can I get five minutes? Then we can discuss what to do now."

I keep my eyes glued to the wall while I try to get my hormones under control. _"I'm acting like a fucking teenager. I need to get my head right."_ "Sure." Clearing the lump from my throat I allow my eyes to sweep down her one more time. _"Not a good idea,"_ I groan internally. "I need to grab my bags from my room. I'll be back shortly."

"Here," she smiles plucking a keycard from the dresser and holding it out to me. "I'll be waiting."

"Is it bad that I want you to stay like that," I mutter.

"What?"

I feel my face heat up, searching for something other than the truth to say. My eyes land on the tattoo on her right shoulder, the surrounding skin red marking it as fresh. I skim my fingers across the line of text there. "I…uh… I said you have a new tattoo here."

"Hmmmm… get drunk and wake up the next day with a new tattoo," she chuckles softly. "Yeah that sounds about right. What is it?"

"Just a line of text."

"That says?"

"The Lord works in mysterious ways. Chose a wrong path all my life," I read allowing my fingers to skim across her skin.

"Sounds about right for me. Why would I get it tattooed on me though?"

"No clue."

"How's the rest of my back look? It stung a little in the shower."

"A couple bruises and a few spots scraped raw but nothing that is going to require medical attention,"

I sigh unable to stop my hand from continuing across the soft skin as reach her spine and the cross tattooed at her hairline. The image of my lips tracing the dark ink and the woman shivering against me plays through my mind. I drag my fingers down pausing between her shoulder blades studying a more severe looking scabbed over spot before moving to trace the star tattoos across her left shoulder blade to the crescent moon at her shoulder joint, my thumb caressing across rougher skin beneath the ink there.

"Eric?"

"Yeah," I ask absentmindedly. Scattered images of the woman writhing beneath me. My hand wrapping around a tattoo around her hip as my lips trail down her torso.

"Not that I mind you admiring my tattoos but right now I'm a little uncomfortable in just a towel here," she states breaking my daydream. "Plus you've reached the end of my back tattoos. All my others are lower."

"Sorry. It's just that I'm sure I've seen these before."

"Don't really hide them outside the ring or even inside lately. In fact, they were on display last night. I'm sure you have."

An image of the tattoo on her hip comes to the forefront. "There is one wrapping around your hip here that says Never Settle for Anything Less and ends right about here," I whisper, tracing across the location of the tattoo over the towel. "How did I see that last night?"

She tenses at my words. "Those cutouts showed a lot of skin last night. Anyone could have guessed that. Plus my new ring gear is lower slung than usual and I've stopped covering my tattoos up when they put me with the Usos last year," she reasons flatly.

"I'm remembering them from a totally different angle," I mumble, my fingers slide from the tattoo and down her arm.

"Yeah, well considering what we must have done last night. I'm not surprised," she sighs, her head dropping slightly.

" _Fuck my hormones. I completely forgot about what I did to her."_ "If I… How are we going to go through with this marriage cover story if you hate me?"

"I don't hate you," she turns to face me.

"I took… I mean, I didn't mean to but… I didn't kno…Damn it," I growl. "You shouldn't be ashamed or afraid to tell your uncle the truth."

Her eyes soften as they sweep across my face. "It's not because of you that I'm ashamed, okay? It's because of me. I'm the one who broke my control, you just happen to be there when I did. I spent half my life fighting for control of my life. My body and my virginity was the one thing I knew I had complete control over. It's one thing for me to get drunk and put ink in my body, it is an entirely different thing to get drunk and…"

"Put other things in your body," I supply and she nods, her eyes dropping slightly. "I can get that," I sigh as the guilt settles over me again. "The statement still stands though."

"If Paul wasn't such a bastard at times it wouldn't be an issue," she smirks, her eyes coming back up to mine. "I'll handle Paul. I'll handle my anger with myself over last night. The question is: Can you handle this? Are you having second thoughts? Because you know this morning isn't going to be the last time he takes a shot at your face."

"It won't be the first or the last time someone takes a shot at my face," I grin. "I might take a shot or two of my own."

"I won't stop you next time," she smirks.

"You got a ride today," I ask changing the subject as my eyes start to drift again.

"It was Paul and Steph but I'm not going to climb into a car with him right now. I guess I'll just get a car myself."

"Or you can ride with Ryan and me."

"I don't want to be in the way."

"One, we rented a SUV meant to accommodate eight people. There is no way in hell you could possibly be in the way. Two, if you want people to believe that we are really married, you're going to have to travel with me…and by me I mean Ryan and I…at least some. Room together too."

"What about Ryan?"

"What about him?"

"Do we tell him the truth or stick with the cover story you came up with for Paul?"

"I trust him. I really do but he can give the Divas a run for their money in the gossip department so if you want to keep the truth from Paul…"

"I do," she interrupts.

"My instincts tell me to stick with the cover story, for now at least."

"You know him best."

"So?"

"If the other scary one signs off on it, I'll take you up on that offer. Just because Steph wants me to Yoko Ono the group in front of the camera doesn't mean I'm going to do it off camera too. If he doesn't want me around then I will stay out of your way. Now go, get your bags. I'll be waiting for you. He agrees, bring him back with you."

"Yes dear," I joke moving towards the door.

"Eric," she calls.

"Yes?"

She holds the keycard out again wordlessly.

I squeeze her hand slightly taking the card from her hand. "Ten minutes."

"How dare you two," Alicia barks glaring at me as soon as I open the door.

"Excuse me?"

"Getting married and not inviting me," she pouts shoving my shoulder and I stumble back into the room.

"Why is everyone picking on him today," Dru asks behind me drawing the other woman's attention.

"Because he was right in front of me. I'm getting to you," she smirks, her hands on her hips. "How could you?"

I stare at the blonde over the other woman's head unsure of what to do.

"Go do what you need to do. I can handle her by myself," she sighs waving towards the door.

"Ten minutes," I remind the woman.

She mumbles something lowly as I exit the room. Leaning heavily against the wall, I run a hand down my face. _"What did I just agree to?"_

XXX

I enter my room to find Ryan snoring loudly. A vague memory of me putting him in the bed flashes through my mind. _"Well at least some of last night is coming back to me and I don't have to worry where he ended up last night."_ Toeing off my boots, I head for the bathroom. "I can't believe I took advantage of her," I growl at myself. "A virgin. I can't believe it," I growl yanking my shirt over my head. The shame settles in my chest again. _"I took advantage of a drunk virgin. I took advantage of her period. After what happened to her last night. I'm no better than fucking Johnny."_

Spinning the knobs, I start the shower before stripping my jeans. A dark bruise along half of my inner thigh catches my attention. "What the fuck?" I try to scan my memories for its cause as I step under the hot water. I come empty from either of the scuffles with Johnny. "It doesn't surprise me the little punk would try to low blow me." Suddenly an image of blonde hair between my legs, "Oh God, Rue," I groan as her mouth pushes me closer to the edge. "Rue…Rue…Rue, stop," I finally grind out."

"What's wrong," she pants.

"Nothing. It's just if I'm going to come it is going to be inside of you," I smile sliding her up my body.

"That's direct," she grins capturing my lips.

"That's how you like it."

"Think you know me already?"

"Yep. Like I know you're stalling because you're scared."

"Damn you and your observations," she smirks attaching to the side of my throat.

"No hickeys. What are you scared of?"

"Pain," she sighs. "And not being good enough for you."

"You're better than anything I could dream up," I sigh.

"My inexperience…"

"Doesn't matter. As for the pain," I grin, one hands sliding between us finding her clit.

"Eric," she gasps, moving against my hand, "what…"

"Do you trust me?"

She nods as she writhes against me.

"This is what I'm doing," I sigh pressing up into her. Her body tenses for a split second before grinding against my hand again. "You okay?"

"I'm fucking great," she smiles.

"Great. You're in control here, whenever you're re…," my sentence is cut off by a crushing kiss.

"I'm nervous enough. The only encouragement I need are your moans and your hands," she grins sliding slowly back down my shaft.

"Eric," Ryan calls, banging on the door, "hurry up. We need to talk."

XXX

"What the hell, man," Ryan growls as I open the bathroom door. "What are you thinking?"

"Have to be more specific, Ry."

"You and Drucilla," he barks.

"What about us," I grimace.

"Playing stupid is not your forte. You married her?"

"How have you even heard about that?" _"How do you think? He's tied into the backstage gossip tighter than the Divas."_

"Answer the question."

"Yes, I did," I sigh. "What's your point?"

"You've gone from unable to even talk to the girl to marrying her in one night."

"I told you last night we've been dating for a while now."

"You were serious?"

"Very serious."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Why does it matter," I growl moving into the room trying to massage away the pounding in my head.

"How long," he asks as a small bottle of aspirin appears in front of me.

I use the few seconds it takes to swallow the pills to think. _"When have I last saw Rue out on a date?"_ "Around six months," I guess out loud.

"Six months? How in the hell did you keep this to yourself?"

"She is a very private person and I respected that," I shrug.

"That is why you reacted the way you did last night?"

"Whether I'm with Dru or not, what that bastard was doing last night needed to be dealt with."

"So why marry her now?"

"We're in Vegas, seemed like the thing to do," I shrug pulling a shirt over my head.

"And the new tattoo," he smiles at the line of text peaking above my jeans.

"A tribute to my new wife," I smile, my hand going absent mindedly to the spot where two lines of text are inked. _And I'm not too proud to say. That was the best mistake I ever made. "Seems fitting considering the circumstances."_ "She was concerned about how this is going to affect our traveling arrangements. She says she doesn't want to be in the way."

"Really," he chuckles. "I'm sure we can find some free space for her. As long as she's fine with traveling with Huber today."

"Found your source," I chuckle. "Should be fine."

"What about our room situation? I'm not going to share a room with two honeymooners."

"I think we can control ourselves."

"First time I wake up to the two of you screwing I'm kicking your ass."

"You can try," I smile. "Like I said, it should be fine."

"Should be?"

"I know better than to speak for my wife," I smirk grabbing my bag. "Give me about ten minutes to talk with Rue. Meet us in her room, twenty thirty, and we will go from there."

"See you in fifteen," he calls as I make my way to the door. "Gotta give you time to get everything out of your system."

XXX

I study the woman across the backseat of the SUV as she stares out the window, the fingers of her right hand spinning her wedding rings slowly. The panic I saw earlier hidden beneath her shell again. _"Why is there a sudden panic when she's touched? Granted Ryan grabbing her was unexpected, it shouldn't have caused a panic. Is she starting to regret her decision? I can't even talk to her about it without letting Ry know that I lied to him and then we will have to explain our real situation."_

I watch her shift in her seat, a quick flash of pain crosses her face before disappearing again.

" _She's in pain?"_ Pulling my phone from my pocket, I bring up my notes app. _Are you okay?_

Reaching over I grab her wrist to bring her attention my way. A look of panic crosses her face as she turns towards me that quickly disappears beneath her shell again as our eyes meet.

" _Sorry,"_ she mouths sheepishly.

Nodding towards the phone between us I wait for her to read the message. She nods before reaching for the phone, the question written clearly on her face. I nod handing the device over.

I watch her fingers fly across the keyboard before handing the device back. _Just thinking about everything and trying to remember_.

 _About last night…Can I ask a delicate question?"_

"Sure."

 _You said you were achy earlier._

Her brow crease as she nods.

" _How exactly do I ask if she's sore because of me?" Are you sore because I…_ I erase the message before trying again. _Did I… Is the achiness in… I didn't mean…_ She reaches over plucking the device from my hands.

 _Delicate seems to be frustrating you. Try blunt._

"Are you two plotting something back there," Jon smirks over his shoulder at us from the passenger seat as I type out the message. _Last night was your first time. It's been a while since I've been with a virgin. I was wondering how far south that achiness goes?_

"Maybe we are," she smiles. "And no you don't want to know about what. Although I'd love to see that pretty face of yours blush."

"I'm liking this girl more and more," Ryan grins back at us through the rearview mirror.

"She's taken. Remember that," I grumble as Dru turns her attention back to me. I hand the phone back. She ducks her head to hide behind her hair but not before as I see the blush spreading across her face.

" _You should have let me try to be delicate,"_ I mouth as she glances up at me. Her attention drops back to the phone in her hand before handing it back smirking.

 _When I said I was achy I meant my back which if you'll remember is a few skin layers short right now. And my ribs from where a man twice myself hit me like a freight train and then said man slammed an equally large man into me smashing me into a wall. And I was talking about my hips where I don't recall injuring but the fingertip sized bruises there along with the handprint across my ass gives me some idea to the cause there. But nothing "south". I've always heard that whiskey dick is a mother. Maybe you couldn't seal the deal last night my dear husband._

" _Never been a problem before Sweetheart."_ I mouth grinning.

" _First time for everything Honey."_

" _As long as you're okay."_

"Just sleepy," she answers a loud.

"I got your back," I smile. "Take a nap."

XXX

"Hey," I smile pulling Dru's attention from staring at the bed. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah," she straightens. "About?"

"Sleeping arrangements."

"I assumed I'm sleeping with you," she smirks.

"How close are you willing to be?"

"As close as I need to be to make this believable."

"I meant it when I said I'm not going to do anything to make you uncomfortable."

"I meant it when I said I know. I just…I just haven't slept with a man before."

"That's not true anymore."

"I believe we technically passed out together. I meant that I don't know how close I'm supposed to be to you," she states. "How long have we supposedly been dating? I usually sleep in the center of the bed. Do we have sides of the bed? Are we cuddlers? Do we like our space while we sleep? I don't want to mess this up before it even starts."

"Okay, you need to breathe," I sigh. "There is no way to mess this up. I told Ryan we started dating six months ago. Does that work?"

"Yeah," she nods. "I haven't been f… I haven't had a date in almost a year."

"As for the other things," I sink onto the end of the bed. "I want this side. I'm flexible on the cuddling. Whatever you're comfortable with."

"It's a normal thing for couples."

"What's normal," I shrug. "It's not a requirement."

"Can we try?"

"If you want. Only if you want."

"I want to. If I'm uncomfortable I can always move."

"Alright," I nod. "Do you want to try?"

"Okay." She slides under the bedding. "I believe it takes two to cuddle."

Moving slowly, I slide in beside her. "Get over here," I pat the mattress beside me. Tucking her against my chest I wrap my arms around her. Her entire body is tense. "Are we okay?"

She nods breathing deeply, her body slowly relaxing. "Thank you."

"Anytime," I whisper.

She jerks upright as Ryan crashes through the door.

"Can you make any more noise?"

"I could," he slurs.

"This is not going to be a nightly thing," Dru mutters. "Or I will kick your ass."

"Whatever."

"Don't piss off my wife," I grumble. "It will make both our lives easier."

"Sorry Dru. I'll try to be quieter next time."

"Thank you. Little courtesy goes a long way," she states turning her back to me. "Goodnight."

Sliding up to her back, I feel her tense momentarily before relaxing back into me. "See you in the morning."


	3. Chapter 3

January 6 2015

"It's time to play the game," Rue's phone blasts.

" _Leave the girl alone. She couldn't have gotten more than four hours of sleep."_ The woman drifts in and out of sleep throughout the night. At one point, I woke up to find her pacing the floor, stress clearly written on her face. She finally settled back in bed about an hour or a half ago.

"Shut the fuck up," she grumbles, fiddling with the phone. Rolling towards me, she tenses slightly as I wrap my arm around her pulling her closer. "What the fuck does he want so early?"

"To be fucking annoying. Worked didn't it," she chuckles, relaxing.

"You two sure say fuck a lot first thing in the morning," Ryan's voice comments. I crack my eyes to find the man studying us from across the room.

"Fuck you, Ryan. You fucking fucker," she mumbles.

"Love you too, Dru."

"Your declarations of love are too late I already picked my favorite Ascension member."

"Yeah." Ever since the incident yesterday between the two, they seem to have become closer causing my nerves to be on edge. Rolling onto my back, I pull the woman closer to me and she obliges snuggling onto my chest. Her hand coming up to rest opposite her head, curling and uncurling idly against me.

"I'm sure he'll give me up if you ask nice enough."

"Not a chance."

She shifts closer molding against my side. _"This is how we should be. If this was real, I would love to wake up like this every morning."_ Rue winces against me shifting against me. "You okay," my nose buries into her hair breathing in the sweet smell of her shampoo.

"Mmmhmm."

" _This isn't real for her. She's just playing her part,"_ I remind myself as her body relaxes against mine. _"Damn I wish this was real. Hell, I'd take having a full conversation without Ryan around at this point_." Banging on the room door pulls me from my thoughts. _"Hundred bucks says it's Paul,"_ I muse to myself as the bigger man makes his way towards the door.

"I got it," Ryan sighs.

"Who would be coming to see you two this early," Rue mumbles

"I don't think it's for us. So that leaves one person and I give you one guess who would be here for you." I pull her tighter against me trying to give her some of my strength as she seems to wilt at the thought.

"You're probably right," she groans.

"She's still asleep," Ryan states softly. "They both are."

"Told you."

"Think if I play dead he'll just go away," she questions.

" _Change of plans. I need to get rid of him. She needs some actual rest instead of the stress."_ "Good luck with that," I sigh pulling myself from the bed. "Do not wake her," I warn Ryan.

"He wants…"

"I don't care what he wants. Do not wake her," I state before turning to the man in the doorway. "What can we do for you, Paul," I growl unable to hide my frustrations.

"I want my niece."

"She is sleeping."

"Then wake her."

" _Fuck you."_ I swallow back the thought before it shoots out my mouth. "She hasn't been sleeping well. She has been so stressed she hasn't slept more than a couple hours a night this past week. Let her sleep."

"I don't care," he states pushing past me.

"I do," I snap. "Do not touch her."

"Are you going to stop me?"

"You touch him and I break your nose," Rue grumbles sitting up. A look of pain flashes across her face before she disappears behind her hair. All evidence is of the pain is gone as she turns to face the both of us.

"Seems to me your wife is on my side," Paul smirks.

"I was talking to you, Paul," she informs him, standing in front of me. My arm snakes around her waist pulling her closer and away from her uncle. "Don't touch him again. Now what do you need?"

XXX

 _"Now you can't whore me off on your favorites anymore. That's the real problem, isn't it? I chose my own husband instead of falling over your hand-picked assholes. If Paul likes you and wants to keep you happy in the company he'll suggest I go out on a date with you,"_ Rue comments replays through my head. _"It was rumored that the woman and her uncle's relationship was rocky but no one knew what exactly went on between the two."_

"Hey," Ryan sighs sitting across from me. "Heard from Dru yet?"

Shaking my head, "Nothing all day."

"Worried about her?"

"Physically, nah," I shake my head. "She's at her place. She's safe. Mentally," I shrug. "A lot of her painful past came out."

"You didn't know?"

"No. Not that I needed another reason to dislike Paul," I mutter.

"Stephanie seemed worried earlier," Ryan comments. "Like she was afraid that Dru was heading towards a mental break down or something."

"Let's hope that doesn't happen. At least until I can get there to take care of her."

"Let's hope," he agrees. "What," he asks as I pull myself upright.

My eyes follow Orton as he makes his way through the locker room. _"If you have to have the full story about the depths of Paul's pimping me find Randy Orton. I'm sure he'll love to share war stories with you."_ "I have to talk to someone. I'll be right back."

"Don't be late for our match."

I wave in response.

"Can I help you," Randy asks cautiously as I settle across from him.

"Yes. You heard I married Drucilla?"

"Yeah man. Congrats."

"She said that if I wanted to know the depths of Paul's twistedness, I needed to talk to you. Talk."

"Listen, man, I don't want to be in the middle of some…"

"I just want to protect my wife. Like any other husband would. I can't protect her from something I don't know anything about."

"Are you worried about her and me having a past?"

"Everyone has a past," I shrug. "I just want to know what is going on with my wife and her uncle."

"That I can't tell you. They were already drifting apart by the time I entered the picture. Dru is a sweet girl, the only reason she dated me was to make Paul happy."

"What happened?"

"Nothing on the two dates we had," he shakes his head. "We talked. Had dinner. Never really clicked. But before each date, Paul would find me. Tell me how nothing was off limits. He gave me permission to do whatever I want."

I swallow back my anger, my hands clench at my sides.

"When the shit with Stu popped off I knew Paul was behind it."

"Stu was the one who attacked her four years ago," I growl. _"That standoff in the hallway makes sense now. No wonder she was so shaken afterwards."_

"She never told you?"

"Just that she was attacked. She never told me who. I had a suspicion when she was shaking after having a conversation with him."

"Paul suspended her because she fought him off and she never seemed the same afterwards."

"What did Stu do to her?"

"You will have to ask her about Stu. We never talked about it."

"Thank you," I stand. "I have a lot to think about."

"Congrats again," he states. "Keep her away from her uncle. That's how you keep her safe."

"That was the plan way before our conversation."

XXX

 _"What a fucking day,"_ I groan internally as I exit the airport and head for the long-term parking structure. The burger I grabbed on the way to the arena souring on my stomach making the whole flight uncomfortable. Combined with the fact that I got close to no sleep with Rue squirming beside me the night before, the stress of the day, and the overcrowded airport, I am irritated by everyone within my line of sight at the moment. "Black Jeep on the first level," I mutter searching for the vehicle from Rue's text. "Black Jeep. Black Jeep. Are you the right black Jeep?" I compare the plate with the info she sent me. "Yes, you are. Damn this thing is older than we are. Good shape though. And the keys are…right where she said," I sigh pulling them from Rue's hiding spot feeling some of the irritation fade away. "She's trying to make this easy on you, Eric. She's just as tired and stressed as you. She doesn't need to be out at three in the morning if she doesn't need to be. And you're talking to yourself, Eric," I mutter sliding behind the wheel. Opening the center console, I pull out the small notebook laying on top. _"God even her handwriting is beautiful,"_ I think as I scan down the address, security code, and short note underneath. _Most GPS take people five miles and fifteen minutes out of the way. If you prefer, I wrote better directions on next page._

"Always go with the wife," I chuckle to myself throwing the vehicle into reverse.

XXX

I stare up at the dark two-story in front of me, the only light coming from the dull porch light. _"You didn't even think about the fact that you are barging into her personal space when you invited yourself here. Are you here to keep the story alive or because you want to be with the woman?"_ Shaking myself from my thoughts I head for the door. _"No use worrying about it now."_ Unlocking the door, I search the wall for the security panel. Typing in the numbers I committed to memory on the drive I turn to survey the short hallway. A stairway leads upstairs on the right. A glimpse of a dark kitchen straight ahead. The doorway on the left has a low flickering light I can only assume is the living room. Dropping my bag, I head towards the living room silently. A large canine silhouette stalk across the room slowly, brown eyes glaring at me through the dim light.

"Fenrir, heel."

I finally find Rue stretched out on the couch, the dog is immediately moving to sit beside the woman watching me warily.

"Very well trained," I comment, relaxing slightly.

"When he's a hundred and thirty pound monster of a dog he needs to be or people run away screaming," she grins over at me, sitting up.

" _At least she not upset to have me here."_

"Did you find your way okay?"

"Yeah. Your directions were great," I nodding taking in her tired eyes and body language. I fight the urge to wrap her in my arms, the only time the woman seems to truly rest.

"You guys usually eat after the shows, right?"

"Yeah," I state cautiously. "Why?"

"Did you get a chance to eat at any point tonight?"

"Grabbed something greasy they told me was a burger sometime before the show."

"Sounds very appetizing," she snorts pulling herself to her feet slowly. "There's an almost full pot of homemade beef stew on the stove."

"Yeah?"

"Interested?"

"Extremely."

"Follow me," she grins sliding around me, the dog following closely. "It should still be warm."

"You're pretty good at this whole 'taking care of my man' act," I smile at her back as she flips the light on. The kitchen is spacious enough to accommodate the three of us and a granite island in the center of the room.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she smiles over her shoulder moving towards the stove before turning to face me as I lean against the counter. She uncovers the pot beside her not taking her eyes off me "I mean if that greasy might have been a burger was enough for you," she teases using the ladle to pull a hunk a beef holding it under my nose. The smell makes my mouth water. "I could always just put this in the fridge and go to bed" The dog snatches the meat from the air as she tosses it his way.

"You are cruel."

"He doesn't think so," she smiles

"You fed him."

"No," she turns pulling a bowl from the cabinet. "I rescued him. Dog fighting ring out in the country. The stupid fucker was breeding Staffies and English Mastiffs to make bigger fighters." Filling the bowl, she holds it towards me. I dive for the bowl before she can feed it to the dog, digging in. _"This is the best thing I have ever tasted in my life,"_ I groan internally. "Silverware is in the drawer at your hip. Monster there has always been a lover from what we can tell because we found him half-starved in a bait dog cage.

"So, when you said you were interested in animal rescue, you meant you were already into a rescue?"

"You actually kept up with my rambling that morning?"

"Barely," I smirk around stew tossing another hunk of meat to the dog.

She rolls her eyes as the dog's posture immediately relaxes, tail wagging as he sits at my feet. "I have an accounting degree. Paul's insistence. I put it to use doing the books for the local homeless and animal shelter pro bono when I'm home. The same family bankrolls both. I volunteer at both too if I have the chance but they mainly just put up with me because of the bookwork." She yawns widely. "I'm heading to bed. Just throw the dishes in the sink when you're done."

I nod moving for a second bowl as she moves from the room, Fenrir settling in the door.

XXX

I lay trying to absorb all the information given to me today, Rue and Fenrir snoring softly across the bed. The anger towards Paul and Stu keeping me awake, my nerves thrumming. How any man could do what Rue described. Her uncle covering the incident so effectively… The fear written across her face Rue's face at the aspect of working with her abuser tying my stomach in knots. I feel so helpless to help the woman. "I don't know how but I'm going to make sure you never get hurt again. Stu will never lay another finger on you. Paul will never manipulate you for his own gain ever again," I growl softly. "As long as you're by my side you will never be hurt again. I promise you that. I promise you."

"Please stay with me," she breathes.

"As long as you'll have me," I whisper, wrapping a hand around her hip.

Her entire body relaxes beneath my touch.

"Are you good with me too, Fenrir," I question. "Gonna help me protect her?"

The dog lifts his head and huffs.

"I'll take that as a yes," I chuckle, stopping abruptly when Rue threads her fingers through mine on her hip. "She definitely deserves someone to protect her. I just hope that I'm the one for her."


End file.
